It has been six months since I started interning at Cai Studio. My concentration in college is neither art nor design; instead, I study economics. Due to my curiosity and luck, I was accepted as an intern at the Studio, and it has turned out to be a precious opportunity, allowing me to reconsider my career path and life attitude.

In the past six months I have had a totally new work experience. My projects at the studio include finishing contour drawings for Cai’s gunpowder art works, cutting contour images, assisting Cai to complete gunpowder drawings in the Grucci basement, joyfully chatting with other assistants in Long Island, keeping library books in order, compiling a recent history document, scanning numerous images, carrying Cai’s art works on wooden panels, and translating many reports related to Cai. Most of the work is detail-oriented. My previous internships in the banking industry were associated with numbers and deadline pressure. Contrary to banking, art has taught me to observe every detail and moment in life; it has relaxed my mind and heart. All of a sudden, I have started to observe life, taking time to view sprouting spring grass and ground fallen into the shade of summer trees. I have given up my old habit of rushing through the street without even lifting my eyes to see the direction. What I have learned from Cai Studio is the philosophy for life and the ability to feel happiness. – Jing Liu

Jing Liu joined the studio as an intern in February. Her first task was to cut a huge pile of paperboard stencils before we headed off to Long Island to make a 16-panel gunpowder drawing that will be shown at the Fukuoka Asian Art Triennial next month. This fall, Jing will be a senior at Columbia University.